The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-11-11

A correspondent at Salt Lake City
tells a story of the experience OF a
Mormon girl as related by herself
She said:
Ihave often been asked to marry
Mormons who had wives. | will tell
YOU about one of them, a wealthy
man, now dead. His name was
Franklin Neff. One day his wife-the
only wife he had-came to Il house
and had a talk with me. She SAID she
wanted me to marry Mr.. Neff. l was
only fifteen, but l knew what polyg'
amy was, and I had set my heart
against it. "Well, Mrs. Neff," | said,
'if he wants me he'll have to sum-
mon up cheek enough to ask me him.
SELF"
said this in fun, and then asked
Mrs. Neff what she thought about it.
She said herself and husband had
talked the whole matter over
and she had come to the con-
cIusion that as her husband was
obliged to take a second wife she
knew nobody she'd sooner have him
take than myself, therefore she begged
me when he called to give him afayOr-
able answer. This proposition. com
ing from a woman thirth-fve years
old, who had been married for years
to a husband of about the same age,
and who had assisted him in aCCumu-
lating his wealth, was at once strange
and amusing. Mr.. Neff called that same
night. and, in answer to his question,
l told him that he must be crazy to
make such an offer OF marriage to a
mere child, but he insisted that he
was in earnest, and he went to my
mother, who on account of his high
position in the church, was afraid to
fatty refuse him. Mother SAID she
would not go against my wishes, but
If he could persuade me into polygamy
she would offer no objection; at the
same time she warned me not to give
my consent for any consideration.
Mrs. Neff came round to see me sew
eral times, and was always urging me
to marry her husband, saying that he
could not live without me, and both
of them would be all the happier for
it. But the more she talked the firm
or became in my resistance. They
invited me to spend a few days at
their country home. | wanted to re-
fuse, but mother said l had better 90.
| went, and | don't think | spent a
more miserable time anywhere in all
my life. The husband was continual
ly asking me to go buggy-riding with
him and the wife was coaxing me to con-
sent. Still, / thought l saw that the
woman was unhappy. She seemed to
be doing what she did against her
will. A ball vas gwen in the neighbour
hood and | wanted to go. Mrs. Neff
asked me to go with Frank THAT was
her husbands name), but / said no, /
would go alone, unless she agreed to
go along. She agreed. and went. That
man tried his vary hardest that night
to dance with me, and his wife even
asked me to dance with him but |
kept plenty of engagements ahead
with the young fellows and he got no
dance.
Some culethen told him that would
rot eat'ee with him while Mrs. Neff was
present., 10 he told her and she went
home. after she went he came to me
and SAID she had gone and he hoped
0 he would have the pleasure OF q
dance, but | continued to make ex.
cuses and avoided him. The time
came Tor to 60 home, and / refused to
allow him to accompany me unless
there was a third party along. His
brother Amos accompanied us, and
after leaving me &C the door the two
men went to Amos Neff's house. I
found Mrs. Neff in her room in tears
q more heartbroken woman | never
saw. She had been sitting there fret.
ting and crying and moaningfor hours,
thinking that was dancing with her
husband and that ] was coming home
alone with him. And only the night
before she had sat up with me until
IL clock trying to talk me into mar.
rying him, making all sorts of prom
lses. and saying that herself and Mr..
Neh would write deeds for one.half Of
all the property and possessions they
had II would only give my consent.
She begged me not to a anything
TO her husband about the CRYING
scene. rs he would scold her for III:
but | said thought it my duty TO
tell him, and also to let him know the
opinion | mad Of him. | told Mrs.
Neff not to grieve, as 1 would never
cause her the slightest sorrow, and
sent her to bed a much hammer wona-
an than ] had found her on my COM
ing In. Next morning at the break.
last table Mr.. Neff said something
about polygamy. That was all the
p~rovocation 1 wanted. / said: sMr.
Neff, i you were any kind of 81 man at
all, or had even the commonest hui
man instincts, you'd let polyramv
alone. You have a wife who is toe
good for you, and who loves you bet
ter than you deserve-stick to hsr
and let other wolnen alone" Then L
told him the condition in which /
ht1 k~..-1 49, 1re